South Korea’s Kakao will terminate the mobile app and PC services of “Kanana,” its artificial intelligence (AI) companion service that launched in beta in May last year, effective Oct. 15. The decision comes approximately one year and six months after the pilot service was introduced, with the company planning to transplant the technical achievements and user feedback gained from operating the standalone AI app into enhancing its KakaoTalk-centric AI services.

Kakao issued a termination notice to Kanana app and PC service users on the 15th. Kanana was designed as a standalone AI app built around the concept of conversing with two AI characters, “Kana” and “Nana,” like friends. Since its launch, the app has experimented with various features including voice-based conversation, AI Studio for image generation, and Special Mate, which supports vehicle maintenance reservations.

The company explained, “Amid rapid changes in the domestic and international AI markets, we are ending the experiment as a standalone AI app and will transplant the technical capabilities and user feedback gained from operating the Kanana app service into Kakao’s various AI services to provide a deeper AI experience.”

Termination Schedule and Data Backup

The termination is limited to the Kanana app and PC services. Other AI services, including “Kanana in KakaoTalk,” which operates separately within KakaoTalk, as well as “ChatGPT for Kakao,” “Kakao Tools,” and “PlayMCP,” will remain available as before.

User data backup is available from the notice date of the 15th through Oct. 14, the day before service termination. Images generated in AI Studio can be individually downloaded from the storage folder. After Oct. 14, access to conversation history and generated images will be restricted.

Shift to KakaoTalk-Centric AI Strategy

The decision is interpreted as a strategic judgment to acknowledge the limitations of a standalone AI app and concentrate resources on integrating AI features within KakaoTalk, which boasts an overwhelming number of monthly active users. Kakao has already officially launched Kanana in KakaoTalk, which positions itself as “your personal assistant” within the messaging platform, and introduced “ChatGPT for Kakao” through its partnership with OpenAI, allowing users to access ChatGPT within KakaoTalk. The company is also expanding collaboration with external partners through Kakao Tools, which connects various services inside and outside Kakao.

Additionally, Kakao operates “Kanana Lab,” a channel for gathering user feedback before launching new AI features within KakaoTalk, and was recently selected as a developer for the “AI for All” project led by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT.

Industry-Wide Trend of Scaling Back Standalone AI Apps

The move to shutter standalone AI apps and integrate them into existing platforms is not unique to Kakao. OpenAI launched its video generation AI “Sora” as an app but ended general user app service in late April, citing high maintenance costs and low retention rates. Meta’s persona AI chatbots were also discontinued after the company determined that user acquisition effects were insufficient relative to intellectual property (IP) costs.

An industry insider commented, “As the AI ecosystem is evolving rapidly, Kakao is also demonstrating a focus on agile, AI-service-centered direction—flexibly adjusting course in response to market reactions and technology trends rather than being wedded to strategies established in the early days.”

Future AI Business Direction to Be Unveiled

Kakao will hold its annual technology conference “if(kakao)26” on Oct. 13–14, just before the service termination. The company plans to unveil its future AI business direction and related services at the event. Kakao stated, “We will move forward to the next stage of providing a deeper AI experience based on the technical capabilities and user feedback gained from operating the Kanana app.”